{"id":897,"slug":"tarion-builder-display-rules-no-tarion-registered-post-2021","title":"Tarion / HCRA marketing rules — builders must NOT use \"Tarion Registered Builder\" post-Feb 2021; must display HCRA licence; \"Backed by the Tarion Warranty\" is permissible","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["agency-methodology","trust-signals","gc-vertical","regulatory-signals"],"reference_body":"**Claim:** Tarion and HCRA have a coordinated marketing-disclosure position:\n\n- **Builders must NOT continue to advertise themselves as \"Tarion Registered Builders\"** after February 1, 2021. Old Tarion Registered Builder logos should be removed from materials, signage and advertising and replaced with \"**licensed by the HCRA**.\"\n- **Builders MUST display their HCRA licence** at their principal business address, on their website (if they have one), and at any premises where they conduct business with the public — under **s. 4 of O. Reg. 626/20** to the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017. The licence must be displayed without obstruction in a publicly accessible location.\n- **Referring to the warranty itself (\"Tarion-warrantied,\" \"Tarion warranty included,\" \"Backed by the Tarion Warranty Corporation\")** is permissible — every new home in Ontario from a licensed builder is, by law, enrolled in the warranty.\n- **False or misleading advertising** is a breach of the HCRA Code of Ethics ([[hcra-coe-s17-advertising-accuracy]]) and a basis for licence action.\n- **Builders cannot misrepresent licensure status** or imply HCRA/Tarion endorsement of construction quality beyond what the program provides.\n\n**Sources:**\n- GSNH LLP and Mondaq guidance on the 2021 marketing-rule change.\n- HCRA Directive — Licence Display Requirements.\n\n**Confidence:** Verified.\n\n**Practical clarification for builder clients:**\n- ✗ \"Tarion Registered Builder\" badge — must be removed.\n- ✓ \"Licensed by the HCRA — Licence #B[xxxxx]\" — required.\n- ✓ \"Every new home backed by the Tarion Warranty\" — permissible if accurate.\n- ✗ \"Tarion-approved\" or \"HCRA-endorsed\" — misleading; the licence is permission to operate, not an endorsement.\n\n**Companion:** the May 2026 builder-website audit ([[builder-website-tarion-display-audit-may-2026]]) found display practice is inconsistent across Ontario builders, especially the largest GTA brands.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"hcra-coe-s17-advertising-accuracy","title":"HCRA Code of Ethics s.17 requires accurate advertising; superlatives (\"best\", \"safest\") without substantiation are a discipline risk","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"tarion-post-2021-retained-roles-warranty-administrator","title":"Post-Feb 2021 split: Tarion retained warranty administration, deposit protection, Guarantee Fund, conciliation; HCRA took licensing and conduct","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-tarion-ontario-may-2026","title":"Research brief: Tarion Warranty Corporation — definitive reference (May 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"builder-website-tarion-display-audit-may-2026","title":"May 2026 builder-website Tarion-disclosure audit — Tridel/Minto/Tamarack have dedicated Tarion pages; Daniels/Brookfield/Empire less explicit; cleanest pattern is per-project warranty workflow","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"rule-builder-site-disclose-tarion-warranty-on-new-home-pages","title":"RULE: Every Candid builder-client site must surface Tarion warranty coverage on every new-home product/landing page, with 1-2-7 structure named and CSS forms referenced","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}]},"created_at":"2026-05-24T14:19:09.950Z","updated_at":"2026-05-24T14:19:09.950Z"}